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Once upon a time in the town of Cloverfield, Curious George was having quite an
adventure. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the streets bustled with activity.
Curious George was swinging from tree to tree, passing time with conversations with imaginary
friends and talking to an invisible audience. Mr. Renkins, George’s caretaker was part of the
humanist movement and wanted George to live a real life instead of an imaginary one. George
had developed a special attachment to Mr. Renkins, despite the man not being George’s
biological parent, as Mr. Renkins had cared for George from a young age. In the last year, Mr.
Renkins noticed George's unceasing strange energy and thought it might be a good idea to
introduce him to a friend, Dr. Matthews, a skilled therapist. Hopefully, Mr. Renkins thought, Dr.
Matthews could bring Curious George into reality.
As the two entered Dr. Matthews' office, George marveled at the shelves filled with
books. One book in particular caught his attention: the DSM-5. The Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, was the standard reference for mental health
professionals. Curious George, naturally, wanted to learn more about the therapist’s office and
work. They sat down with Dr. Matthews, and he explained different mental disorders. Curious
George listened intently.
Dr. Matthews spoke the importance of psychotherapy, a treatment method where
individuals discuss their issues with a mental health professional. This approach could help them
understand their emotions and develop strategies to cope with their challenges. Curious George
was particularly interested when Dr. Matthews mentioned antidepressants, medications that
could help people suffering from depression by improving their mood and reducing symptoms.
Curious George, naïve and impressionable, imagined the perfect life he could live if only he had
antidepressants. Smiling and nodding along while imagining the implications of antidepressants,
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Curious George was brought back to reality from Dr. Matthews’ next subject: lobotomy. This
surgery involved severing connections in the brain to treat various mental illnesses. However, it
often led to severe side effects and was eventually replaced with more effective and less invasive
treatments. Dr. Matthews discussed bipolar disorder, a mental illness that causes extreme mood
swings ranging from euphoria to deep depression. George's eyes widened as he learned how the
disorder could significantly impact a person's life.
Finally, Dr. Matthews discussed Schizophrenia, earning himself a terse, grim nod from
Mr. Renkins. He explained that it could cause people to lose touch with reality, experience
delusions—false beliefs about themselves or the world around them—and hallucinations, where
they saw or heard things that weren't there. George didn’t think twice about applying this new
knowledge to himself. Instead, he nodded along, clueless to what the information suggested.
Though initially curious and excited with Dr. Matthews, George eventually became bored and
worried as he thought about the difficulty of maintaining mental health. With a glance toward the
window, George regained some of his previous enthusiasm and ran out the door toward the
picturesque playground. As he swung on the monkey bars, George began addressing an invisible
audience and explained the importance of mental health as if he was the expert and not Dr.
Matthews. In his imaginary life, George failed to see the implications of Dr. Matthew’s
discussion on his real life.
Mr. Renkins and Dr. Matthews, however, both saw the implications of psychology’s
principles on George’s life. The two men stood in the office, watching him through the window.
In a low voice, Mr. Renkins outlined some of George’s recent, worrisome behavior to Dr.
Matthews. With a sigh, Dr. Matthew’s made his unfortunate conclusion. George was to be
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brought to an asylum, where he could entertain his imagination and imaginary audience without
disturbing the peaceful town of Cloverfield.